Why Take OYAP?
OYAP allows you to explore and find the right career for you. And if you discover you want to change direction you can, because many skills are transferable. Skilled trades people feel a sense of accomplishment seeing the results of their efforts at the end of the day.
The skilled trades encompass a broad range of hands-on occupations in four main sectors:
Students can participate in this program while in high school:
- become an OYAP participant by taking Cooperative Education in one of the over 140 skilled trades in
- become an OYAP participant and register as an apprentice while in the program
- become an OYAP participant, register as an apprentice, and complete your level 1
- through a locally developed level 1 concentrated program or a dual credit program.
Apprenticeship
There are more than 300 skilled trades occupations recognized across Canada. Contact the apprenticeship authority in your region to learn more about apprentice-able trades in your province or territory.
Apprenticeship is a post-secondary pathway that leads to certification in a skilled trade. 80% of an apprentice’s time is spent on-the-job training where aspects of a chosen trade are learned directly from a certified journeyperson. The remaining 20% is spent in technical training which is delivered at a college, high school or union training centre.
A unique feature of apprenticeship is as a registered apprentice, you are in fact, an employee and will be paid while you are on the job learning. This means, much less student debt and an increase in wages as you move through each level of your apprenticeship.